RAG Demo

Tag: Thali

  • Gatte ki Sabzi

    Gatte ki sabzi is one of the cleverest dishes of Rajasthan. In a desert where fresh vegetables were scarce, cooks turned gram flour into dumplings and simmered them in curd, both pantry staples that kept well in the heat. It is now a regular in Marwari homes and on Rajasthani thalis everywhere.

    The gatte are made from besan seasoned with ajwain, chilli and a little curd and oil, shaped into logs, boiled until firm and sliced into rounds. They are then simmered in a curd-based gravy tempered with cumin, hing, fennel and red chilli. The gatte are soft yet firm, absorbing the tangy, spicy gravy, which is thin enough to soak into rice or roti.

    It is eaten with phulkas, bajra roti or rice, often as part of a thali with dal and kadhi. It is also a popular dish during Jain and fasting-adjacent meals when cooked without onion and garlic. The gatte can be boiled a few hours ahead and kept covered, so the final cooking takes just fifteen minutes. Keep the gravy thin; it thickens as it stands.

    At a glance

    RegionRajasthan
    CuisineRajasthani
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / curd / ajwain / red chilli

    Ingredients

    For the gatte

    • 1 cup besan
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • A pinch of hing
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 2 tbsp curd
    • 1 to 2 tbsp water

    For the gravy

    • 1 cup curd
    • 1 tsp besan
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 3 tbsp oil or ghee
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp saunf
    • 2 dried red chillies
    • 1 tsp ginger paste
    • 1 green chilli, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Mix besan with all the gatte spices and salt. Add oil and curd and knead with a spoon of water into a firm, smooth dough.
    2. Divide into 4 portions and roll each into a log about 1.5 cm thick.
    3. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, slide in the logs and cook on medium for 12 to 15 minutes. They are done when they float and look slightly glossy, with small bubbles on the surface.
    4. Lift out, reserve the cooking water, cool the logs for 5 minutes and slice into 1.5 cm rounds.
    5. Whisk curd with besan, coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric until smooth.
    6. Heat oil in a kadai on medium. Add hing, cumin, saunf and dried red chillies; when they crackle, add ginger paste and green chilli for 30 seconds.
    7. Lower the heat and add the curd mixture, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil, about 4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved gatte water and salt.
    8. Add the gatte and simmer 10 minutes until they swell slightly and the gravy thickens. Finish with garam masala, kasuri methi and coriander.

    Tips

    • The gatte dough should be firm; soft dough breaks while boiling.
    • The besan-flavoured cooking water gives the gravy body – do not discard it.
    • Shallow-fry the sliced gatte until golden before adding for a richer version.

    Serve with

    Phulkas, bajra roti or steamed rice.

  • Maharashtrian Amti

    Amti is the everyday dal of Maharashtra, distinguished from plain varan by its sweet, sour and spicy balance. Toor dal is cooked soft, then simmered with goda masala, tamarind or kokum and a little jaggery. It is the dal that fills Maharashtrian thalis, eaten with rice, chapati or bhakri. It is a daily essential.

    The flavour is tangy and gently sweet, with warmth from goda masala and red chilli, and aroma from a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves and asafoetida. Grated coconut and coriander are often added at the end. The consistency is thinner than North Indian dals, perfect for mixing into rice.

    Variations are endless: katachi amti uses the drained water from puran poli dal, while Kolhapuri versions add more chilli. Each household has its own preferred proportions of sweet and sour. Konkani homes add coconut and kokum, while Desh homes rely on goda masala and tamarind, and every cook believes theirs is the correct one.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstoor dal / tamarind / jaggery / goda masala

    Ingredients

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal, washed
    • 2 1/2 cups water
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric

    For the amti

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp goda masala
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
    • 1 1/2 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the toor dal with water and turmeric for 3-4 whistles until completely soft. Whisk until smooth.
    2. Heat oil in a pan on medium. Crackle mustard seeds, add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies and cook for 20 seconds.
    3. Add red chilli powder and goda masala and stir for 10 seconds without burning.
    4. Pour in the whisked dal and the water. Add tamarind pulp, jaggery and salt.
    5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavours meld and it reaches a pourable consistency.
    6. Add coconut and coriander and simmer for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust sweet-sour balance.

    Tips

    • Goda masala is essential; garam masala gives a different, more North Indian flavour.
    • Kokum can replace tamarind; add 3-4 petals and remove before serving.
    • The amti thickens on standing; thin with hot water when reheating.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice with ghee, papad and a dry vegetable.

  • Gujarati Kadhi

    Gujarati kadhi is the light, pale yellow counterpart of the thicker, pakora-laden Punjabi version. It is made from sour curd whisked with a small amount of besan, sweetened with jaggery or sugar and tempered in ghee with whole spices. Most Gujarati thalis include it beside dal-bhaat or khichdi, and many people drink it straight from the katori.

    The taste is sweet first, then gently sour, with warmth from ginger and green chilli and a fragrance from cloves, cinnamon, methi seeds and curry leaves. It should be smooth and pourable, about the thickness of single cream. Because the besan quantity is low, it must be stirred continuously until it boils or the curd will split.

    Kadhi-khichdi is the comfort dinner of Gujarat, eaten when someone is unwell or when the cook wants a simple meal. It is also served with rotli and shaak on weekdays and alongside undhiyu in winter. Some families add a few pieces of bhindi or pakodi to make it more substantial, but the plain version is the everyday standard and the one most Gujaratis grew up drinking.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscurd / besan / jaggery / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    For the kadhi

    • 1 cup sour curd
    • 3 tbsp besan
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1-2 green chillies, slit
    • 2 tbsp grated jaggery or sugar
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the tempering

    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp methi seeds
    • 3 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 dried red chilli
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Whisk the curd and besan together in a deep pan until there are no lumps at all. Gradually whisk in the water to a smooth, thin mixture.
    2. Add ginger, green chillies, jaggery and salt and place on medium heat.
    3. Stir continuously as it heats, scraping the bottom. This is the critical stage; after 6-8 minutes it will come to a boil. Do not stop stirring before it boils or the curd will curdle.
    4. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened and the raw besan smell is gone.
    5. In a small pan, heat ghee on medium. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then cumin, methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon and red chilli for 20 seconds. Add asafoetida and curry leaves.
    6. Pour the tempering into the kadhi, stir, and simmer for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust sugar and salt; it should be clearly sweet-sour. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Curd that is 2-3 days old gives the right sourness. With fresh curd, add a squeeze of lemon at the end, off the heat.
    • Kadhi thickens as it cools; thin it with a little hot water before reheating.
    • Use hing that is certified gluten-free if you need the dish strictly gluten-free, as many brands contain wheat flour.

    Serve with

    Plain khichdi or steamed rice, with papad and pickle.